This invention is related to the general field of attic and roof ventilation systems. It is particularly related to a roof ridge ventilating system for tile roofs.
It has been a long known practice to ventilate attics under gable roofs by running a vent along the roof ridge. Such vents are created by an open slot running along the roof ridge, essentially the length of the roof, which causes ventilation out of the attic by convection airflow and by suction from wind blowing across the roof.
Differences between the various types of ridge vents are often found in the capping structures used over the vent slot to exclude water and pests. A description of representative types of ridge vents and capping structures, and attributes or problems associated with various types, is found in a prior patent of this inventor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,579. That patent discloses, as a solution to many of the problems associated with prior ridge vents, an improved roof ridge venting system using a unitary mat constructed of randomly-aligned synthetic fibers which are joined by phenolic or latex binding agents and heat cured to provide an air-permeable mat with a varying mesh. Cap shingles are supported by the mat and are nailed directly to the roof through the mat. In contrast to other vent materials, the unique features of the mat disclosed in this prior patent result in many desirable physical properties such as high tensile strength, high resiliency, the ability to be transported in rolls and cut to length, ease of joining strips, durability in local ambient conditions, and the ability to act as a water and an insect barrier. Moreover, it provides the aforementioned desirable features in a thin sheet to permit the vent structure to maintain a low profile along the roof ridge.
Although the vent disclosed in the inventor's prior patent has desirable applications in many generally flat roof types, it can not be used in conjunction with contoured roofs or with heavy roofing tiles. As used herein, the phrase “heavy roofing tiles” refers to tiles made from materials which include, but are not limited to, slate, terra cotta, concrete, and clay. These tiles are distinguished by their bulk and weight, as contrasted to the relatively lighter shingles made of asphalt, wood, fiberglass, polymers and the like.
The prior known vent structures useable with such heavy roofing tiles generally included structure to support the capping elements, which are frequently heavy ridge cap tiles of same or similar shape and construction as the roof tiles, for example, as provided in the inventor's prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,318. However, the construction of an assembled support from bent-up sheet metal and porous vent material requires shipment in fixed lengths. The cost for making and shipping this type of vent would therefore be high. Additionally, if the roof tiles and cap tiles were “mudded” into position with cement to close the gaps between the overlapping cap tiles, as well as the gaps between the bottom of the cap tiles and the valleys of the roof field tiles along the roof ridge, these gaps, which were intended to remain open for venting in such prior known systems, would likely be filled with cement in accordance with customary roofing practices to prevent leaks, and therefore block any air flow that the vent was intended to provide.
A contoured roof ridge ventilation system for metal roofs has also been developed by the present inventor, and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,953. This system is intended for use with metal roof panels having a contoured surface, and provides a contoured ventilation strip covered with a flat cap that is nailed to the roof structure. This does not address tile roofs, in which not only the field of the roof is contoured, but also the cap is cylindrical shaped and tiled, such that the bottoms of the cap tiles do not present an even surface, and in which rain driven parallel to the roof ridge may penetrate between the cap tiles.